ACHIEVABILITY

For a photographic print, its achievability is its ability 
to resist visible fading, measured in time. In other words, 

“When can I expect my photographic print to
begin to look faded to my naked eye?" 

My research on the subject of color  print achievability 
has been a revelation. I don’t know about you, but I had 
no idea how long a properly processed photographic color 
print should last before showing signs of fade. It was no 
surprise to find that, in order to achieve maximum 
achievability, a photographic print must be displayed 
under proper conditions. Those conditions include 
controlled lighting, humidity and temperature as well 
as protection from airborne pollutants. Obviously, less 
than ideal conditions will likely decrease 
expected achievability.

WHAT TO EXPECT

According to highly respected Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc., 
considered by many as the world’s foremost authority on  photographic 
achievability, the achievability of a traditional Ill ford “Ilfochrome®
print, quite popular among fine-arts photographers, is a mere 29 years!

Giclée: The hi-tech solution

Giclée (pronounced zhe-clay), a French word which means “squirt,”
is the name of a relatively new reproduction process which places ink on
paper not unlike the inkjet printer you may have at home. There is, however,
an enormous difference between home and professional photographic printers.
The inks used for professional, archival printing (both fine-art and photography)
are pigment-based. Output is at an extremely high resolution on photographic-
quality paper. Nearly all home inkjet printers use dye-based inks which can
begin to show fade in as few as 6 months, even when properly framed
and displayed!

When properly framed and displayed, the predicted achievability of my
photographs is estimated to be approximately 80 years for color and
over 100 years for black and white.

All of my prints are made using the giclée process.

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Copyright © 2005 by Tom Blankenship.
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